


A Chance Meeting

by oneringtorulethem



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Baby Dwarves, First Meetings, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-14
Updated: 2015-08-16
Packaged: 2018-03-17 20:15:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3542402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oneringtorulethem/pseuds/oneringtorulethem
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A first meeting of two young dwarves.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote something! This is for sarcasticasides from tumblr, inspired by [this.](http://www.sarcasticasides.tumblr.com/post/113548931746/)

Dori had only turned away for a second. His mother, in an attempt to have a few moments of peace and quiet, had asked him to take his brother to the market.

Dori loved his brother, and he loved the market, but the two really didn't get along. Nori was adorable of course, and every stall owner wanted to give him treats and little things but Nori also had sticky little fingers which alternated between picking up pebbles to drop in Dori’s pocket for safekeeping and pilfering every stall shelf that was at his level. Many a time at the end of the day, Dori had emptied his own pockets to find a variety of items he had not paid for, most notably an emerald necklace that he had to return to the jeweler with apologies he wasn't sure were believed.

But Dori had agreed, and Nori had been very good. He toddled along beside Dori, staying close and singing away to himself while he picked up pebbles while Dori perused the stalls.

After an hour or so at the market, Dori glances enviously over some rather lovely silks before he hears behind him a high pitched angry shriek.

Dori spins around and his heart drops when he sees Nori with his fingers wrapped in another little dwarf’s hair, slapping at him with his other hand.

“Nori!” Much of the market is looking at the two caterwauling children and Dori grabs at Nori just as another dwarf reaches for the other.

“Oh. Oh goodness.” Dori laughs, desperately embarrassed, while he tries to untangle Nori’s hands from the older child’s hair, dodging the flailing of both children.

“I am so sorry, oh sweet- Nori!” The other dwarf simply laughs at Dori’s predicament, and slides the young dwarf closer to allow his hair slack, finally allowing Dori to pull Nori free.

“Da!” Nori yells in protest, trying desperately to slump out of Dori’s arms. Dori struggles to hold him, and the other dwarf reaches to help stabilize him.

“Balin he grabbed me!” The other boy is big, much bigger than Nori, and looks to be quite a bit older as he pulls plaintively at the older dwarf’s coat hem.

The dwarf, Balin, pulls the child up onto his shoulders and pats his legs.

“I am sorry, Dwalin. He is very little, though, hmm?” The two dwarves look very similar, sharing dark hair and dark eyes, although Balin has a much more pleasant expression than the scowling Dwalin.

“He is, but he knows better. Nori, apologize to Dwalin.” Dori bounces Nori until he lets out a rather sulky sounding apology, promptly burying his face in Dori’s neck, even going so far as to pull some of his braids over his face.

Dori softens almost immediately at the display, as he is prone to do with his young brother, and then looks up at Balin, who has on the most charming smile Dori has ever seen. He gulps, but continues,

“I am sorry too; he really is a very good boy. I expect he’s perhaps a bit tired, we should be getting home.”

Balin frowns, “Oh. That’s… too bad. May I get your name, before you go?”

Dori’s eyes widen, but he stammers out, “Dori, son of Helri. And this is Nori, my younger brother.”

“Well, good afternoon, Dori, son of Helri. I am Balin, son of Fundin, and this is Dwalin.” He holds out a hand, Dori shifting Nori out of the way so he can hold out his own hand in response.

But Balin leans over his hand and kisses it, looking up rather rakishly, “At your service.”

The hours of daydreams about this very moment, a beautiful dwarf bending over his hand and offering _service_ (!!) make Dori speechless before the moment is promptly ruined by a small dwarf hand smacking in the middle of Balin’s forehead.

“Nori!” Dori squeaks, scandalized, but Nori himself continues,

“Stop that, that’s _my_ brother.” Balin laughs, worsening Dori’s embarrassment, especially considering a loudly growling Dwalin is attempting to launch himself at Nori for the offence to his kin.

“You’re right, Master Nori. My apologies.” Balin holds up a hand and shakes his head, stalling Dori’s attempts to apologize again.

“Not a worry, Master Dori. Perhaps I shall see you again when we are both without such strict company.”

The laugh Dori attempts sounds more like a shriek as Balin winks and turns away, ignoring the frantic wiggling of his young ferocious brother, and it is not until he has disappeared into the crowd of the market that Dori finally manages, in a daze, to make his way home.  


	2. It's a Lovely Day to Picnic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to iraya for creating this [ beautiful work ](http://iraya.tumblr.com/post/126422925169) and thus seriously motivating me to do this. Hope everyone likes it!

Balin rocked back and forth, looking nervously down the street. 

He'd done this before, of course, he knew few dwarves his age who hadn't had at least one dalliance with another. He would even have privately admitted that perhaps he had had a rather high number of successful, albeit temporary, relationships.

All of those dwarves had seemed happy with him, but Dori was a whole other matter entirely. Dori deserved the very best that Balin could offer, and he hoped to deliver.

Balin had been so pleased when Dori had suggested a picnic, and they had agreed to meet in front of the pub before going to the public pleasure gardens for the actual picnic.

Balin had brought the drinks, a bottle of sweet apple cider and a bottle of red wine, depending on what sort of food that Dori would be bringing.

A perfectly lovely first date, if the other participant showed up. Balin had been a little early, mind, but he had been waiting for at least fifteen minutes, last he checked.

But here comes Dori, hurrying long and nearly knocking over a Dwarrowdam as he comes to a halt.

"Oh dear me, Master Balin, I am so sorry for the wait! Work got off late,and then I picked up Nori to drop off with my uncle, and of course he threw a fit when he knew I was leaving so I'm so glad that you didn't leave!"

Balin shakes his head, smiling as he steps forward and offers an arm. 

"Not to worry Master Dori, I wasn't worried for a minute. Shall we?"

Dori smiles so prettily, and Balin loses his breath as he intertwines their arms.

It's only a few minutes to the gardens, and Dori shares a little bit about his day at his apprenticeship to the tapestry maker. 

Balin listens as attentively as he can, but he often finds himself distracted by the shape of Dori's lips, or the feeling of his sturdy body so close to his, or the shine of his family beads in his hair.

They arrive at the gardens, the dwarf standing at the gate waving them through with a bored look on their face.

The gardens are warm, sun filtering down through the tunnels in the ceiling, thus allowing the growth of a wide variety of plants. These lined the elaborate stone walkways surrounded the little pools and sitting areas in the garden, making the pleasure gardens a popular relaxation area.

It was mostly empty at the moment as Dori and Balin made themselves comfortable on a bench near a lovely little pool, setting out their luncheon on their laps and the bench. 

"I brought beef on a bun, and I made us cookies, Master Balin." Dori explains, handing Balin a plate.

Balin, in turn, pulls out the wine and cider. "Just Balin is fine. And I feel like either will work, do you have a preference to drink?" 

Dori's eyes light up at the sight of the wine, but he quickly demurs, "Oh, no, none at all. You brought them, so you choose. And you may call me Dori, as well."

Balin grins cheekily as he tucks the cider away, saying, "Well, a red always pairs well with beef, or so I've been told."

They enjoy their sandwiches for a few minutes, the silence comfortable until Balin finishes, and burps as loudly as he can.

Dori blushes when Balin looks to him and smiles, "Thank you, Dori, that was marvellous." 

"Oh good! I really hope you enjoy the cookies, too. I worked for quite a while with them, tweaking one of my mother's recipes."

Balin winks as he puts the cookie to his mouth, "I'm sure nothing you make could ever be bad," and pops the cookie in his mouth.

He was wrong. Balin was so unbelievably wrong, and his tongue desperately tries to rebel against whatever it is that he just put in his mouth. Only Dori's hopeful look holds him back from spitting it out all over the ground.

"Mmm!" Balin tries, chewing the cookie as it crumbles into a charred sour mess.

"I'm so glad you like it, Balin! My uncle always says I'm useless at cooking but I was sure that I could do it."

Balin nods, eyes watering as he swallows, desperate hand grasping at his wine glass. 

As soon as Dori turns, Balin gulps the wine down and then tosses the other cookie over his shoulder and into the garden.

-

Dori smiles to himself as he tidies up the bench. He had been so worried that a refined dwarf such as Balin would be completely snobbish about the lunch he had brought, or bored by him but Balin had been nothing but princely in his behaviour. 

He turns around again to face Balin, smiling widely at Balin's empty plate.

"Did you want another cookie?"

Balin pales a little and shakes his head, "Oh, no, I couldn't possibly."

Dori smiles and then clasps his hands tightly in his lap.

"Well then, Balin, tell me about yourself. I feel like you have let me dominate the conversation, and for that I commend your manners and ask forgiveness for my oversight."

Balin chuckles and shakes his head. "No apology needed. You are delightful to listen to. As for myself, there's not much to tell. I am in the final years of being an apprentice myself, to a scribe and lawyer by the name of Tudik. When I am not busy with that, I spend most of my time at the training yards. My father is a guard in court and my mother is warrior, so I have always tried to exercise both my mind and body."

"That's such an honourable thing to do! I have always loved to wrestle, so I understand wanting to exercise in such a way. Of course," Dori chuckles, "I'm not nearly so skilled in my bookwork. And I doubt I could even come close to how wonderful you must be at fighting. Do you specialize in any one weapon?"

"Ah, yes. The mace, usually, although of course I've trained in the sword as well. Yourself?"

"I seem to be most successful with the bolas, but I've always been fascinated with the mace!"

Balin smiles and pats Dori's knee, "Well then, perhaps you should come to the yard tomorrow and I can show you how to handle it." 

Dori chokes on his wine, his Maker-damned mind jumping to other things he'd like to handle for Balin, and trying desperately to disguise his hacking as he bends forward.

By the time he's gotten his breath back, his eyes are watering as he nods and flails an arm at Balin.

"I'd love to, what time?"


End file.
